Inclined elevator



Aug. 7, 1951 w. J. MILLER INCLINED ELEVATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 4, 1949 Aug. 7, 1951 w. J. MILLER 2,563,260

INCLINED ELEVATOR Filed April 4, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

By ax Patented Aug. 7, i951 William J. Millen-Toledo, Ohio assignor of onehalf to Julius D. Stone,.Toled0, Ohio Application April 4, 1949, $erial No. 85,277

This invention relates to adaptable hoists, es-

pecially for an inclined track and an automotive deck or car therefor. I

This invention has utility as a lifting and lowering device readily conforming to placement and removal at a stair flight. A track unit may be conveniently set for use and taken out as there may be occasion for other full use of the stair. With the track unit set, a self-powered deck is adaptable to the track inclination as a load carrier for ascent or descent.

Referring to the drawings: a

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as installed on a stairway, say as from a first floor to the basement floor of a building;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the car or deck of Fig. 1, with the power removed and a different adjustment angle for the deck as to the inclined track;

Fig. 3 is a partial elevation, lookin from the downside toward the car, of the power device for the car and some of the controls;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion v of the controls of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, somewhat broken away. of 'a stairway as clear of the hoist or elevato'r herein disclosed, showing the stair flight clear of impedimenta and readily adaptable to full normal use;

sci-aims. (01. 187-12) Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a top tread for the inclined track upper end placement;

Fig. 7 is a detail view, in perspective of a lower or basement floor'stop for seating the track lower end;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a track upper portion with its adjustable arm for cutting out the power or motor on the car; a

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the tracklower' portion with its motor throw-out stop; and

Fig. 10 is a largely diagrammatic showing of the controls as manually set and automatically cutting out the power. 7

A stair flight l is shown as extending between an upper floor or landing 2 and a lower floor-3. Adjacent the flight l on a building wall 4 upward from the floor 2 may be a normal or usual type of electric outlet or wall plate 5 (Fig. 5), say as an electric power supply of 110 volt 60 cycle current. Similarly on the wall 4 adjacent the flight i above the floor 3 may be another similar type electric outlet 5. A

As special precaution against pull-out disconnection, an anchor device or hook 6 toward the flight I from the outlet 5, is provided. In the general: line determined by the inclination of the steps of the flight, there is anchoredby "attaching means 1' a flat flange 8 of a U-shaped seat or stop 9 (Figs. '1, 7 of'proportion snugly to seat with'thelower end'of the track unit'as thrust thereinto. During out- -of-use for the hoist'as to thestair flight I, the normally permanently positionedseat' 9 does not'have stub' toe hazard, for the reason that a pad or rubber mat i0 is pro; vided'with cut-out to nest closely about the seat 9 and to extend fully'to the top of the seat 9 (Fig. 5). f V

The track I In parallel relation as held by spacing strips or angles ll, l2, l3 (Figs. 1, 8, 9) is a pair of angles or tracks l4, [5. In addition tothe spacing angles ll, l2, [3, there is at the lower end'of; the tracks I 4, 15, an angle [6 having the centering coaction as entered into the seat 9.

In order to adapt the track to diiierent length and flight inclinations, the tracks I4, l5, at the upper end have holes I! (Figs. 6, 8) in the flanges as toward each other for rivet or bolt connection at openings [8 in a short flange section [9 having pivot connection with 2. dependin flange 2| from a tread 22 as a top landing adapted to be positioned over the top step 01. the flight and rest on the floor 2. v

In practice it may be in order to cut ofi a portion of the tracks l4, IS, in order to adapt the tread 22 to the track distance along the flight 'I' from the seat9. The supplied tracks I4, l5, are of a length to meet normal conditions, say of '12 ft. ceiling. The lesser height may require the reduction in over-all track length. The 'pair of flange sections or seat portions l9 have a con--' necting angle 23, so that their rock or inclination may be the same and thereby contribute to stiffening of the top landing tread 22 in snugly seating on the floor 2.

Openings 24 in the riser flanges from the tracks [4, I5, are in the vicinity of the openings l1 andcoact with openings 25 in arms 26 having pivot connections 2'! with the flange 2|. At the inclination from the tread 22, as determined by the tracks l4, I5, extending along the flight I, the arms 26 "are locked at the register position between the openings 24, 25, and there is thus given rigidity to the tread 22 at the landing 2 and as a definite anchorage for the track unit I4, '15,, as an upper end for the unit. An opening 28 in the connecting angle 23 from the tread 22, is; adapted'to receive a hook or attaching means 29, forahaul'age cable 30 (Fig. 1;)

The deck car in the tube or sleeve 34 may receive a pin thruan opening 36 in a, relatively telescopic extension 31 (Fig. 2).

Near the upper end of the frame 32 bracketv means 38 provide pivotal connection 39 for a car deck 49 with a back flange or shield 4|.

The'fact that the guides 34, the frame 32 and the platform 33 are in rigid assembly, means that, as the inclination for the frame 32 adapts to the flight I, the upper ends of the extensions 31 must slide 'on the under side of the deck 40 as the hinge or pivot connection 39 may direct deck edge 42 into proper register relation with the tread 22 as ascent limit position for the car. This slight rock for the deck 40 is effected by the telescopic adjustment between the guides 34 and the extensions 31. Inasmuch as in practice the installation as on the jobpis for a particular flight I, the adjustment then made for the lengths of the sections or tracks [4, l and their assembly at the tread 22, may be followed by the car adjustment as to the deck 40. As so adjusted, a hole may be drilled in the deck 40 to register with an internally threaded openingin the top of the extension 31. A flat head machine bolt 43-is then used to complete the rigid assembly for the car as to its deck 40.

The power unit (Fig. 3)

On the deck 33 are uprights 44 for a minor platform 45 with which is fixed an electric motor 46. In the instance herein taken for a speed of approximately 20 ft. per minute, speed'reductions maybe adopted for using a H. P. and even H. P. reversible motor, somewhat along the lines of a standard mechanical refrigerator motor for 110 volt and 60 cycle electric current supply.

At an electric outlet 5, an electric fitting 41 may connect a conductor cable 48 having a tieplace 49 therein at the hook 6 (Fig. 1). The cable, as leading from the hook to between the tracks l4, I5, is to a reel 59 (Fig. 2) of aself retrieving type, so that there is pay-out as the car moves away from the outlet 5, with rewind as the car moves theretoward, thereby avoiding any cable slack along the-track. From the reel 50 conductor leads 5| extend to a reversing switch 52 (Fig. 4), with a conduit 53 therefrom to the motor 46. .The reel 50 iscarried by the frame 32 between the tracks I4, l5, and clear of the platform 33. I

The transmission 8 The motor 46 has a shaft 54, fixed with which is agrooved pulley 55 (Fig. 3, 4) for a V-belt 55' to drive apulley 56 actuating a single lead unwound as to the drum 59. on the platform 33.

The weight of the'motorf'car on the incline nor-- mally keeps the cable 30' taut. The single pitch 4 worm 51 has such angle of friction as to be non reversible as to load tension on the cable 30, even with the deck 40 under load. Accordingly there is automatic locking of the car against travel along the tracks when the car is released from the drive, as by switching off the power. In the disclosure herein, such load may be of 500 to '150 lbs., whether garbage cans, barrels, package goods, or even building materials. Closure plates 62 are provided to depend from the deck 40 and conceal the power unit and transmission (Fig. 1).

The controls A control knob or handle 53 is at a slot 64 in a side housing plate 62. The slot 64 has a mid station position 65 as a neutral or stop for the motor and car. At the upper end of the slot 64 is .a station 66 as a position for the handle 63 to direct the car for ascent; while at the lower end of the slot 64 is a third station 61 in which the knob 63 is placed for directing the car for descent.

An operation may be followed thru by tilting the handle 63 upward in the range of 45 (Figs. 3; 10). Electrically, thru this rocking of a shaft 68 an arm 69 is thrown from off position 10 to up driving direction contact 1| at the reversing switch 52 (Fig. 4).

Mechanically, and simultaneously, a square block or cam portion 12 of the shaft 68, acts against the resistance of helical compression springs 13 to spread friction brake shoes 14 from brake face 15 fixed with the motor shaft 54 (Fig. 3).

It is thus seen that the mechanical holding or braking frictionally tending to keep the-motor, from floating, is released at once electric power comes to the motor 46. This is a co-acting factor for precision operation, not only in starting but in stopping. As before stated, there is ample angle of friction for the single pitch worm 51 to hold the drum 59 from rotating in either direction. The brake interconnected with the electric power cut-in and cut-out is a supplemental safe-- guard against the momentum of the moving parts acting even in a minor way.

There is automatic stopping in the ascent. From a track stiffening spacer H a lower clamp element 16 (Fig. 8) coacts thru selected holes 11 of a stop arm assembled by bolts to position a riser top stop 18 at the correct position for the deck 40 to register with the tread 22. 'Iheuptraveling car as riding to the stop 18 has a depending arm 19 carried by a rock shaft at the under side of the car, strike this stop 18. In bell crank relation from the arm 19 of the rock shaft' 80 (Figs. 3, 10) is an arm 8| having riser link 82 therefrom with an adjustable connection to an arm 83 from the shaft 68. Accordingly, this striking of the stop 18 by the arm 19, resets the handle 63 from the station 66 to the central or off station 55. The electric power is cut off by the swinging of the arm 69 from the contact H, to the off position 10, and the cam 12 has its corners or diagonal away from spacing the brakeshoe arms so that the springs 13 may reset the. brake shoes 14 against friction face 15 in holding the motor shaft 54.

For car descent, the arm 63 is at the station 61 i and the switch throwing arm 69 is at down direction or motor reversing contact 84 (Fig. 10). As waist height down position as to the floor 3 is approached by the deck 40, a fixed stop 85 (Fig. 9) throwsthe car carried depending arm 19. to cause: the cam 12 to permit application of the brake" Shoes 14, the switch arm 69 being back to ofi position and the handle 53 at the station 65.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An inclined elevator comprising, between a floor and a landing having a connecting stair, a stop fixed with the floor, a pair of tracks resting on the stair and seated in the stop in providing sole positioning means for assembly of the tracks with the stair, a tread directly seated on the landing and anchored with the tracks remote from the stop, said tracks spacing the tread from the stop, a car rollably mountable on the tracks, a motor on the car, a haulage cable from the car and having fixed anchorage with the tread, a speed reduction on the car to which the cable is connected, a brake between the motor and speed reduction, and a three position control having a second intermediate position coacting for the motor to be idle and the brake to be in holding position, said control having first position connections to release the brake and operate the motor to wind the cable in shifting the car on the tracks toward the landing, said control third position having connections to release the brake and operate the motor in the reverse direction in Number freeing the speed reduction to pay out the cable for car shifting on the tracks toward the stop.

2. An inclined elevator comprising a pair of tracks, a fixedly anchored stop providing sole positioning means for tracks ready set-up and take-down, a tread spaced from the stop by the tracks, and a car on the tracks, said car having a pitch-adjustable deck to conform to elevator installation inclination, hinge means connecting one portion of the deck to the car, and adjustable riser means between the car and deck remote from the hinge means to bring the deck'to approximate horizontal independently of range of placings of inclination installation for the tracks for the car.

WILLIAM J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,535,106 Crispen Apr. 25, 1925 2,212,388 Cheney Aug. 20, 1940 2,528,265 Cretors Oct. 31, 1950 

